Monday, September 21, 2015

Hello and first day of Fall or Autumn or whatever they want to call it is coming up. Now I don't remember when it's name got changed. Whatever day it is----it is a coming. I think I told you it is my favorite time of year, it is. Funny isn't it how they, whoever they are, change the names of things or events or in this case a season change? All I know is the leaves change color, the cold fronts come in and out very quickly and the pumpkins and treasures like that get to be put out and decorate with. I guess it is the time of year when we can decorate with ORANGE and no one faints.

I have been painting, I will post those soon. Of course I have been stitching also. It is funny when I retired, what almost 5 years or might be 6 years now, I thought what am I going to enjoy doing now? I loved loved my photography and running the business part of it. I never thought I would like that but our accountant, who knows me well, said "Annette just pay by check and all will be good". Ok wandering off on a bunny trail now, sorry. I tried several things in the art world and loved it all and I figured the cream would rise to the top and I think it did.

The painting, a different style now than when I use to paint, and the stitching . I think they are the winners. So enough chattering Annette get on with the pics.

I did a Round Robin with a group of ladies and I chose my theme to be Alice in Wonderland. Hubby had a book from olden days and has pics, black and white, so I went on line and found them in color. All the ladies did wonderful in the RR so when I got them back I thought about adding more pages and make a book. Not to novel of an idea, I mean books have been around forever or nearly forever but I thought a book it will be. I have at least 12 blocks sewn together and here is the first block I did embellish.

The little bird had to peek in to see what the caterpillar, looks like a hookah smoking caterpillar to me, but remember the whole story line of Alice in Wonderland is a little different. Anyway the birdie is listening in, the lady bug has to get close by. I added the yellow metal charms but painted them first. You can't have anything normal looking in Wonderland. So here is my block I did. I think I am going to make them my CQJP 2016 project

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Ok onward and upward so to speak here . I know underwater in CQ is just fun and called UTS, meaning under the sea so I was invited to play so I have not ever done one so here goes. I did want to add one of my hand drawn and painted mermaids I made for Ciggies or Silkies so this red headed girl got to be a mermaid. Little glass fish, a jelly fish of sorts and some "sea weed". She was fun to do and I will have more on here as the months go by.

Now you may remember I am doing blocks, one a month, of the celebration of Day of the Dead. So colorful and just fun to make. I did do 3 wall hangings with 4 blocks in each but will share those later, don't want to spoil the reveal of each month. I don't think the blocks will mind but will make them wait their turn. ﻿

I don't know why but this one is one of my favorites.

A close up of this little block with beads, embroidery, silk ribbon pretties. I can thank Pat Winter for teaching me the art of CQ. A wonderful online class and she taught me well.

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There you go what I have sort of been doing lately and you know there is more going on in my world. Like if the grass dries from the heavy dew we will mow, you know exciting things like that and going to the post office. It just blows your hair back how exciting of a life we lead.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world and down my different bunny trails

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Hello there, well here it is in September. I have been tardy again, I hope like when you went to public schools if you are tardy, what three times, you had to be punished. I forgot how or what the punishment was though and I don't remember ever being late------ for anything. I just strive and strive hard to not be late. Just a thing with me. Of course a couple of times I was nearly late when in high school. Knowing my hubby of 54 years now was at a certain door way down a hall that I didn't really go down on the way to a class. I just had to go down that hall and say hi and smile at him. A girl just has to do that don't they? I won't tell that he was walking another girl to class and I knew he would be there. I don't think I said that out loud did I? Funny where you thoughts go when blogging, that was not even on my mind at all, being late. Of course you can usually tell I don't plan these posts out they just flow. Like Grandson says lots of different bunny trails here on Nana's blog. So grab a glass of iced tea or whatever beverage you enjoy and read on my dears, read on.

We have some windows in the front of the house and they have the wooden shutter things on them. We "open our eyes" to see out the windows until we get to see the sun set in the West, the world just telling us it was a good day and the sun is going to bed. Oh I know it doesn't go to bed but like that thought anyway. We get to enjoy the humming birds that come to visit, seeing the little ground squirrels scamper around, the little field mice ( they are bigger than the regular mice that try to come inside your home to make it their home ) eating whatever they eat and the little baby bunnies eating the grass. Quite a little wild life herd we have out there. Well not really but we enjoy it anyway.

Now our newest member of the family has discovered the window also. Sometimes when Dragons and their owners walk by he does get excited. I must say the Dragons just happen to be disguised as dogs, but we won't tell him. AND he likes to watch when Hubby goes and gets the paper in the front drive every morning. Now mind you our fur babies are not inside babies but they do get to come in with our daily "dance" as we call it with them. What is the dance? That will take a bit of visiting to tell you all that, hummmmmm might have to record that one for you.

Charlie on the bench and loving what is going on out the window. He has gotten excited and hit the windows a few times and it does get nose art on it a lot. A little higher up the window though than what sweet Jewel would create.

A close up of Charlie, I think he is part cat the way he likes to be loved. I am impressed he sat still enough for me to take the pic of him. Way to go Charlie. We have had him a year now, we adopted him last September and he is now 2 1/2 years old. Still puppy but doesn't kill an pillows or anything like that.

I forgot to add we get this little guy every once in awhile at the window.

We have a view outside our bedroom window/doors also. Nothing fancy smancy but so peaceful and the birds and hummers come around. Usually Hubby is in the chairs reading with the fur babies laying at his feet or they might be chasing the big green dragon ( trash truck). We have a love seat in the bedroom and it is good just to sit and enjoy the critters in the back. Yes it is a lot to mow but we don't mind at all. A dragon fly or 10 come out and visit and just enjoyable.

I do have to share some fun news with you. Last year Pam Kellogg emailed me and asked would I like to do a page for her Crazy Quilting calendar? I agreed and such an honor with 12 other artist around the world and the subject matter for the calendar was birds and mine she chose for July was Orioles. Now when you type in Orioles, I had never seen one, you get lots of pictures of the baseball team. I kept hunting and found these photos. So I knew they were the winners so printed them off on my poplin fabric sheet and went to town and played to my hearts content. You can see more of the calendar and order it if you would like here and I know she would be excited for you to do so.

I had so post first the what I call naked block before I started jazzing it up. I knew I needed two birds and probably they are the same gender but beautiful birds none the less. Well I didn't need two birds but just thought the piece needed them. ﻿

The finished block, a friend do you have it framed and hung in a special spot? Nope just in a stack with all the other pieces I have done. I have put some of the pieces in a book I made, I guess these guys need something special don't they? I have thought about selling my embellished blocks so someone could make what they wanted with them but that is it----thought.

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A close up of the finished block

The pics below are close ups of what I added to the naked block.

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I have more to chat about but I didn't want to wear your eyes out, so I guess that means another post for September. Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.

In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar ,cinnamon, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut in butter or margarine till pieces are the size of small peas. Make a well in the center. Combine the egg and the 1/4 cup milk; add all at once to dry mixture. Stir till moistened. On a lightly floured surface roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 2 inch circles or flowers with cookie cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or till light brown on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack. Place about 1/2 tespoon raspberry jam on the bottom of 1 round, top with another round. Repeat with remaining cookies.

In a small mixing bowl stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make of glazing consistency. spread top of each cookie with some of the glaze. For holly berries, while icing is still wet, drop 2 or 3 cinnamon candies on each cookie. Allow icing to dry. Using a small paintbrush, paint several holly leaves and a stem on each cookie with the green food coloring. Makes 54 single cookies.

These also freeze well, either just the cookies or the whole decorated thing. Sometimes the red hot colors may run after frozen but the cookies prettier when first done. But they still get eaten. Sometimes I freeze and then decorate just before Santa comes to visit.

Melt caramel candy, water and margarine in double boiler. Mix in nuts and drop by tablespoon on buttered tray to cool. ( sometimes I put in frig to cool ) When cool, drop patties in mixture of melted chips and parafine and shortneing then put back on tray to cool. Can also freeze when finished or freeze the caramel stuff and then when ready to eat just dip in the chocolate. A special note, then your family can sneek into the the freezer and eat frozen. I dip with the pattie on a fork and then use a toothpick to scrape off the dripping bottoms, did have a fancy thingie for that but was a pain to mess with. Fork and toothpick work fine.

Micro wave version

Microwave caramels 1 -2 minutes till start melting, may take longer but keep an eye on the because they will burn. Stir and add the milk, and microwaves a few more minutes 2 or so. Stir every 30 second and then add the nuts into the melted caramels.

For dipping chocolate, melt the chocolate and parafin and 1 T. shortening for 3-4 minutes til melted. Sometimes I then take the bowl with melted chocolate out and then keep melting the parafine and then pour it into the rest of melted chocolate and parafine. It all doesn't melt at the same time. This just keeps it from burning. Dip as above.

Now remember just doing in the microwave doesn't take out the calories.